Even So
by keepONsmiling
Summary: Even in the darkest of nights, there will always be a light to lead you on and pull you through—the light of friendship. A short series of heartwarming drabbles based on episode 57. Chapter 4: [YohAnna][FLUFF]UPDATED! Please R&R!
1. Laughter

**Summary:** Even in the darkest of nights, there will always be a light to lead you on and pull you through—the light of friendship. A short series of heartwarming drabbles based on episode 57. Chapter 4: YohAnnaFLUFF

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Shaman King or any of its characters (heehee, although I wish I did)

His heart pounded against his ribcage. His legs were cold with fatigue, they screamed desperately for him to stop. But he couldn't. The roaring, amber flames were all around, dancing dangerously close and licking at his heels.

"UUWWAAAAHHHH!" he spun around to see his teacher flaying his arms wildly, caught up by the iron grip of the Spirit of Fire.

In a flash, the menacing flames engulfed his trashing form.

"Blow! Wind of laughter!" He was screaming almost hysterically now.

_Laughter never fails, his teacher had told him once._

But the flames only got stronger.

"Mic! Mi—" he was cut short when the luminous pink monster raised its other palm to reveal Mic's lifeless form. Its master—Asakura Hao stood, his arms folded, a smirk on his features as he watched with sadistic pleasure.

_Had it failed this time?_

"Burn" Hao whispered.

He was instantly flung off his feet as the steel-hard forearm collided into his chest. He soared through the air momentarily, before crashing to the ground with a painful thud. The impact sent searing pain shooting up his arms, his legs, his back, his abdomen.

He could fight no more.

The sky was lit up with infinite shades of red and orange.

"These guys… I can't defeat them with laughter…" It was his last thought before he was plunged into darkness.

_It had._

* * *

"Chocolove-san, chocolove-san…" his eyelids fluttered open with the sound of Tamao's timid voice. He blinked once or twice before his surroundings came into focus. He was lying in a vast expanse of desert, white sand stretching as far as the eye could see. Not a trace of amber flames. The sky was clear blue—almost as brilliant as Horohoro's hair color.

Speaking of Horohoro… "Where are the rest?" he blurted out.

"Well, they're not coming back," she hesitated, "Miss Anna, Manta and Jun have gone to search for them" He lowered his head as remnants of the horrible dream plagued him.

_The Wind of laughter couldn't put Hao's flames out_

"And something terrible has happened!" Tamao continued, "Mistress Jeanne has…" he couldn't stop his mind from drifting back to the sight of both his guardian spirit and his teacher, helplessly bound by the Spirit of Fire's death grip.

"There's probably nothing I can do," he shook his head, "somehow, I've lost my confidence." For the longest time ever, he had believed that laughter would save the world. Believed in it with all his heart. But now… that faith was shattered.

"After seeing something like that, I-" He shut his eyes, willing the thoughts to go away. There was no use crying over spilt milk.

_The seeds of laughter were definitely no match for those menacing flames._

As if summoned by his will alone, a thought darted across his mind "Oh that's right!" he grinned, "You can find Yoh and the others!"

She turned to face him, a questioning look on her face. "Yeah, if u do that, I'll ah…ah…" He stuttered, trying to think up something funny. "Aladdin's lamp!" He suddenly exclaimed, years of training as a comedian having taken obvious effect on him. Even if laughter couldn't save the world, he guessed it could probably still serve to lighten the mood.

But seeing her blank look, he decided against it, "Yea, this isn't the time for making jokes," he slumped down in defeat.

_Yea, he concluded painfully, that against Asakura Hao, even laughter would fail_

A few moments of awkward silence passed before…

"Aladdin's lamp!" Tamao squeaked, before fits of jovial laughter sent her clutching her stomach and rolling on the ground hysterically. "HAHAHA that's funny!" she cried pounding the ground with her fists.

A feeling of warmth settled in his heart as he watched the magic of laughter. "She got it," he whispered.

"You're amazing, Chocolove-san!" Tamao exclaimed, finally being able to compose herself.

"About what?"

"Well, because you can make people laugh at even at a time like this," he felt the blood rush to his cheeks, "I feel better now! I'm going to try at my ouija board!" The now rejuvenated priestess chirped, before flipping open her ever-present book.

_Even so… laughter's never failed to bring heaven into earth._

_Wasn't that alone saving the world_


	2. Believe

Never in his life, had he felt such an intense bitterness, not even when his parents had been brutally slaughtered by Hao. He gritted his teeth and clenched his knuckles. Hao, that menace.

He had been sitting on that rock alone for hours now, weeping and at lost of what to do.

Maiden Jeanne. He wasn't even sure if she was still alive, after all that strain she had put herself through. And it seemed, all he could do now was to pray…

_I've lost them._

The X-Laws. He had lost sight of them the moment they entered the gate of Babylon.

Morphine. He had long since… replaced her, if that was the right word to use. He couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for having abandoned his loyal spirit for Zuruel. But it was all so he could get stronger. She'd understand that, wouldn't she?

Yoh and the gang. He bit his lower lip. They were no longer his allies… nor his friends, he added with bitterness. Who would forgive someone who had betrayed them more than once? Not even himself, he realized.

_I've lost their trust._

"Lyzerg!" He tensed immediately. The voice was huskier than usual, but he recognized it right away. He rose, though his back was still to the man.

"Lyzerg," the voice repeated, quieter now. Blood had begun oozing out from the fresh cuts his nails were digging into his palms. "Let me just ask you one thing," the voice continued.

"Those tears of regret and worry," his voice wavered and he cleared his throat, "are for Master Yoh and the others right?" There was a sharp intake of breath, as Lyzerg shut his eyes, willing the tears to stop.

_I can't go back now._

"You're wrong!" he spun around, "these are tears of worry for our Mistress Jeanne!" he spat. And the moment the last words tumbled from his lips, something went off in his left chest. His arm shot up, but he caught it immediately. He couldn't, he wouldn't take back those words.

_I'm sorry._

"Are you serious?" his head was lowered now.

_I've betrayed you. I… I just can't…_

"I'm an X-Law member!" he hissed. He sure as hell was, for he dug his foot into the ground as he said so, intent on keeping up the unwavering demeanor. "I don't regret trying to offer Yoh to the gate of Babylon!" Another stab, but he ignored it this time.

_Time and time again, I repaid your kindness with hatred._

"Lyzerg," his voice had lost its confidence, as he turned to leave.

_I'm sorry I disappointed you._

"Even so," he paused, "I'll still believe in you. Always."


	3. Fight On

"Of course I found you, Onii-chan! I am, after all, your only younger sister." Pirika stated blithely.

"Arigatou!" Horohoro grinned before gobbling down the lunch she had brought him at a rate that could put even wild boars to shame.

When he was finally done (which was actually no more than 5 minutes considering his insane speed), he lifted up his oracle bell and began scrutinizing it.

A minute passed. His brows were furrowed in deep concentration.

Another passed. Pirika looked on eagerly.

Yet another. Yes, he was beginning to get it!

And another. Yes, yes, she was sure about it! Any moment now and- "Err… could you repeat it again?" he muttered sheepishly.

A flock of birds took off from the nearby tree, startled by what sounded like a very violent knock-out punch followed by an "ONII-CHAN!"

"Okay, I'll repeat it one last time," she breathed, her voice dripping with venom. "First, press the up button on your oracle bell. Then, press left, down, right, left, left, up, down, down, right, right, up. You listening?"

An obviously lost Horohoro nodded back dazedly, "heard every word you said." She raised an eyebrow expectantly.

A drop of sweat slid down his cheek as he began, "err… up… right… left…

BONK.

"ONI-CHAN!"

A pouting Horohoro rubbed the two growing lumps on his head as Pirika took over the oracle bell, concluding he was probably the last person one should ever ask for help if it involved any device with buttons.

With nimble fingers, she quickly keyed in the combination. In response, the screen began blinking, before four Japanese characters appeared, reading "Horohoro".

Horohoro watched quizzically as numbers appeared beside his name. "9520? I don't have that much on me!"

"Ano.. I don't think that's how much money you have on you, Onii-chan, it's a measurement of your furyoku." Horohoro beamed, it sure seemed like a large sum to him. Wringing her hands, Pirika continued, "and this is how much Hao has."

Her hands hovered hesitantly above the buttons, before slowly pushing them. Slowly, the oracle bell began to form the digits, as Horohoro leaned forward.

He froze.

_I've lost to Hao._

"Twelve… million." He could swear he had heard his heart grind to a standstill as his quivering lips struggled to form the words.

_I've lost my dream_

His mind had become instantly flooded by a million surging thoughts. He had journeyed so far, trained so hard. And now… it was all over. What was he to do?

"Onii-chan," Pirika whispered, "let's go home."

Slowly, he turned to face her, his eyes void of emotion.

She squeezed his hand, '_It'll be ok_,' she silently conveyed.

_It wouldn't. _He knew that as well as she did

"Horohoro-kun!" Ryu was running towards them, his arms in the air, "Let's go."

_I'll never win. No, not against such a massive amount of furyoku._

He must have sensed the tension in the air, for he paused. "We'll defeat Hao for sure," his voice hadn't lost its confidence.

Horohoro looked up and a smile crept across his face, "together," he added.

_But even so, I'll fight to the end._

_Because it's my friends I'm fighting for._

_Pirika, it's you I'm fighting for._


	4. My King

"Itadakimasu!" an excited Yoh shouted before sinking his teeth into the succulent, red flesh of the watermelon in his hands. He had been sitting amidst a field of watermelons, hungrily devouring his 'stolen goods'.

Closing his eyes, he let the cool juice of the watermelon flow down his throat as he savored its sweet taste.

"Y-Yoh Dono!" he was suddenly alerted by the alarmed Samurai.

"Ah, I'm so sorry but I really was starving! I'll pay you back another day," Yoh promised, his eyes still shut, to whom he had presumed was the owner of the garden.

He was wrong.

"What are you doing stealing watermelons?" It was the steel cold voice of his obviously ticked Fiancée.

He was SO dead.

* * *

"Yoh-Dono, you really shouldn't have done that, you know how scary that girl can get." His guardian spirit reprimanded quietly.

Yoh chuckled softly as his eyes slowly wandered towards his fiancée. His ebony eyes watched her, their usually carefree expression now replaced by a deathly serious glint. Seeing this, Amidamaru quickly vanished in a puff of smoke, realizing his presence was probably not needed.

Well, it was now or never. Heaving a sigh, the chocolate-haired boy stepped up beside her, hands in his pockets, in an attempt to strike up his usual, carefree stance.

A capricious breeze tossed at his bangs and tugged at her scarlet scarf. She had been standing at the edge of the cliff, arms crossed in front of her chest. "Hao… He has no intention of become the shaman king. Am I right?" her eyes were still fixated on the sparse landscape that stretched out before them.

"Aah. I realized it when I heard his voice in the Gate of Babylon." He shivered as his twin's dreaded words rang in his ears. "He said he's obtained enough power already from devouring Shamash. He…"

She turned to face him, "can simply obtain the Great Spirit himself, without having to go through the tedious task of winning the Shaman fight." She finished for him.

"Yeah." His knuckles had gone white by now, "I came here, all the way, just to become the Shaman King." His eyes met hers and he shut it.

_Just so I could get us an easy life, Anna. _

"But now I," He lowered his head, unable to meet her eyes, "I've got to back out."

_Because I don't want him to kill anybody anymore. _She had heard his unspoken thoughts. And if that was the way it had to be, she understood.

"I," He tried hard to suppress the tears that were slowly building up behind his eyes, "I'm sorry," the words hit the air no louder than a whisper. He couldn't have been any more remorseful.

_I can't be your Shaman King._

His eyes were shut. He was ready to take on anything she could lash at him. For he was sure, no one in the world deserved it more than he did.

SLAP. It felt as though he had been hit by a bullet train travelling at full speed. He had endured the Legendary Left Hand a million times, but none of which hurt as much as this.

"Idiot," she breathed, glaring daggers at the brunette who stood before her. His head was bowed like a 7-year-old, silently awaiting the reprimand that was soon to come.

"Even so," she stopped to tug a stray behind his ear.

_It doesn't matter if you're not the Shaman King._

"I will still be…" her hand lingered on his face as a soft smile crept across her own, "Asakura Yoh'swife."

_Because you'll always be **my** king._


End file.
